Photo: 国際情報社 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
I have a real soft spot for the kind of presence Mako Midori brought to 1960s Japanese cinema, because she never read as just another pretty ingenue to me. Born in 1944 and breaking through young enough to grab the Blue Ribbon newcomer prize in 1965, she belongs to that wild, restless New Wave era when Japanese film was getting darker, stranger, and a whole lot more dangerous, and she fit right into that mood. There's a smoky, slightly unsettling quality I associate with her, something mysterious and a touch decadent rather than wholesome. At 157cm she wasn't physically imposing, but the camera clearly bent toward her anyway. That she also sang only adds to the cool factor. To me she's a quietly magnetic figure from a golden, gritty chapter of Showa film.
Overview
Mako Midori is a Japanese actress and singer born on March 26, 1944. She rose to prominence in the 1960s, earning the Blue Ribbon Award for Best New Actress in 1965 as well as the Golden Arrow Award. Standing 157 cm tall, she built a reputation for a distinctive screen presence that blended intensity and mystery across her dual career in film and music.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Mako Midori
- Name (Japanese)
- 緑魔子
- Reading
- みどり まこ
- Born
- March 26, 1944 (age 82)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aries / Monkey (申)
- Origin
- Japan
- Height
- 157cm
- Occupation
- Actress / Singer
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- 1965 — Blue Ribbon Award for Best New Actress
- Year unknown — Golden Arrow Award
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B7%91%E9%AD%94%E5%AD%90
Frequently asked questions
When was Mako Midori born?
Born March 26, 1944 (age 82).
Where is Mako Midori from?
Mako Midori is from Japan.
What does Mako Midori do?
Mako Midori works as Actress, Singer.
How tall is Mako Midori?
Mako Midori is 157cm.
Actress — see all → · Singer — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.